Telegraph signal translation mechanism



Jan. 14, 1958 Filed NOV. 17, 1955 IIIIIIIIIJ 6.' B HOL 5 TE/ INVENTOR KRA 77' niteo; Sttes TELEGRAPH SIGNAL TRANSLATION MECHANISM Gerhard Kratt, Nnrnberg, and Otto Holstein, Pforzheim, Germany, assignors to international Standard Electric Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware This invention relates to printing telegraph receivers and more particularly to receivers employing rotary type carriers such as a type wheel, type roller or type magazine. In the receiving devices utilizing type wheels, there is generally provided a plurality of notched selection rings for the selection of characters, one ring for each element of the signal code utilized, each ring spaced from and axial with the other rings. Each ring is provided with a number of grooves or notches spaced either about the outer periphery or cut radially into the ring from the inner ring surface thereof. The prior art utilized a plurality of stop elements which extended coaxially with said rings and transversely across the row of notches in said rings. Upon moving the said rings angularly with respect to each other and in accordance with the received telegraph code, a row of notches would align and a stop element would seat into the groove formed by the aligned row of notches under urging of a resilient element. Thereupon the radial movement of the stop element placed it in the path of a rotating seeker arm which was coupled to the shaft that rotated the type wheel. The selective angular halting of the seeker arm corresponded to a character to be printed by the type wheel.

The conventional arrangement just described suffered from the disadvantage that considerable kinetic energy was required to be absorbed by the equipment due to the movement of the stop elements into the groove formed by the aligned notches. This led to considerable wear of the parts.

By the novel construction disclosed herein, the disadvantages referred to above have largely been eliminated by the novel positioning of a stop element into a groove formed by a row of aligned notches by causing a movement which is longitudinal to the axis of the selecting rings as opposed to the radial movement of the stop elements of the prior art.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a mechanism in conjunction with a ring type selecting device which causes positioning of stop elements in aligned notches by movement which is parallel to the axis of the selecting rings.

The above-mentioned and other features and objects of this invention and the manner of attaining them will become more apparent and the invention itself will be best understood, by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of the selecting ring system and the cooperating slide elements for use therewith; and

Fig. 2 is a view partly in section of our novel selecting ring system with the longitudinal movable stop elements cooperating therewith.

Referring now to Fig. 1 there is shown schematically a plurality of selecting rings 1 5 adapted to rotate about a small angle over fixed pins 1a, 1b and by atom means of the complementary slots 1d 5d equidistantly spaced in said rings; only the slots 1d being shown in the drawing associated with ring 1. Each of the said rings 1 5 has a plurality of notches cut in a peripheral surface thereof; in the embodiments shown in the outer periphery of the ring. There are further provided a plurality of spaced stop elements 6 13 disposed transversely about the outer peripheral surface of each of said rings there being one of said elements for each angular printing position of the type carrier. Only 8 of said elements have been illustrated in the interests of keeping the drawing uncomplicated, it being understood that the said stop elements are disposed about a substantial portion of the periphery of the said rings. The shape of the stop elements may be clearly seen from the showing of the elements 8 and 12 respectively in Fig. 2, each element consisting of a J-shaped member having a number of notches 8a in the case of element 8 and the J-shaped portion 8b. Each of the elements 6 13 is slidably mounted in outer fixed plates and 8d. Each of the rings is provided with a spring retaining portion 8e with which one end of a corresponding spring 8 is attached, the other end of the spring being attached to the end plate 8c as shown in the drawing of Fig. 2. Each of the selecting rings 1 5 is provided with a protuberant portion 14 18 by means of which the rings may be rotated angularly a given distance so that the corresponding notches 1e may be aligned in rows in response to received telegraph signal elements. The means for setting the portions 14 18 in accordance with the received telegraph code are well known and will not be furthed described into the path of a seeker arm 19 which arm is fixedly coupled to the rotating shaft 20 which carries the type wheel 21 thereon. The shaft 20 is adapted to be rotated from continuously rotating shaft 20a by means of the clutch mechanism 2012 under control of the clutch lever 200 which is adapted to be moved in the counterclockwise direction when looking at Fig. 2. The friction clutch 23 prevents stalling of the machine when the seeker arm 19 abuts against an actuated stop element 6 13. It will be seen that if there is a stop element angularly disposed about the periphery of the rings 1 5, the rotary printing position of the type wheel 21 may be determined by actuating a corresponding stop element. Each of the stop elements is adapted to be normally urged in a right hand direction when looking at Fig. 2, but only that stop element will move to the right hand direction which finds an aligned row of notches 1e as explained above. The space between the teeth of each of the stop elements is greater than the thickness of a selecting ring so that When a stop element is in normal position as for instance the element 8, the rings 1 5 may be angularly rotated with respect to each other. The resetting disc 24 is slidably mounted on shaft 2M and is adapted to be urged in a left hand direction by means of lever 25 which pivots at point 25:: at the conclusion of the printing of a character against the tension of the compression spring 2512. The disc 24 is adapted to abut against the J-shaped portion 6b 13b of the stop elements and is adapted to return an actuated stop element to its left hand position against the tension of its cooperating spring 6g 13g.

We further provide an additional ring 27 known as the blocking ring. Ring 27 is provided with grooves cut into a peripheral surface thereof corresponding to each angular position of a character to be printed by the type wheel 21. Blocking ring 27 is provided with a protuberant portion 28 as shown in Fig. 1 by means escapee of which it is adapted to be rotated an angular distance in either direction as shown by the double ended arrow in Fig. l by means which are no part of this invention since they correspond to means. utilized to angularly. position the: rings. 1 5. The. blocking. ring 27 is adapted to. maintain all unactuated stop. elements. in their. left. hand positions by cooperating with the leadingedge of. the. most right hand tooth of. each of. said unactuated elements 6 13, but will not affect: an actuated. ele ment such as. 12 in Fig. 2. since the notches of the blocking: ring 27 will be. in register with the trough between. the first and second. tooth: of an actuated stop element such as. 12 in Fig. 2.

Each of the selecting rings 1 are, engaged by a flat spring 26. which is commonto each of the rings and. which is provided. with. a pawl 26:; which can cooperate with an inner peripheral series of notches 6a 13a, 6b- 13bor 60. 13c. and which holds the angularly rotated rings in either of their three possible angular positions.

The described arrangement operates as follows: The selecting. rings 1 5 are rotated variously in accord.- ance: with the received telegraph signals by means of their respective protuberant portions and then lever 25 is permitted to rotate in the clockwise direction causing shaft a to move toward the right under the force stored in spring b thereby moving disc 24 from abutment against the b portions of the several stop elements. One of the stop elements (12 in the case illustrated) will find a row of aligned notches and will move toward the right under urging of its associated spring 12g. After the actuated stop element has moved to the right,

the blocking ring 27 will be rotated an angular distance.

equal to half the width of a character causing the peripheral cut in the element 27 to be presented to the leading edge of the first tooth of each of the unactuated stop elements thereby preventing movement of a stop element until a new element has been selected in accordance with the angular rearrangement of the selecting rings. The seeker arm 19 will ultimately come to abut against the actuated stop element 12 and the printing wheel will thus be angularly positioned correspondingly. The printing function is then achieved by means not shown and thereafter the blocking ring 27 is returned to its initial position thereby presenting a peripheral notch to the trailing edge of the first tooth of the stop element 12. The lever 25 is then urged in a counterclockwise direction and causes the disc 24 to urge the stop element 12 in a left hand direction thereby removing the stop element from the path of the seeker arm 19.

While we have described above the principles of our invention in connection with specific apparatus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of our invention as set forth in the objects thereof and in the accompanying claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a printing telegraph receiving device utilizing a rotating type carrier, apparatus for controlling the angular positioning of said carrier in response to received telegraph signal elements comprising a plurality of coaxially mounted rotary code selecting rings, one for each element of the telegraph code utilized, each of said rings having a plurality of notches radially cut within a peripheral surface thereof, means for angularly posi' tioning each of said rings so as to align a row of corresponding notches therein in accordance with a group of received elements constituting a character to be printed, a plurality of spaced stop elements disposed transversely about the peripheral surface of each of said rings, one of said elements for each angular print ing position of said carrier, each of said elements comprising means for cooperating with an aligned row of notches. in said. rings, means. to actuate said elements, in a direction parallel to the axes of said rings and for causing cooperation of said cooperating means with said aligned row of notches and means for sensing thetmovementoi said elements.

2. In a printing telegraph receiving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said stop elements comprises a J-s-haped member and said means for cooperating with an aligned row of notches comprises a plurality of teeth on an edge of said J-shaped member, the spaces between adjacent teeth being suflicient to permit rotation of a selecting ring therein when said stop elements are innormal position.

3. In a printing telegraph receiving device as claimed" in claim 1, wherein the means for moving said stop elements comprises an endplate fixed with respect to said rings and said stop elements, said plate having a plurality of radially extending apertures therein, one for each of said stop elements, each stop element adapted to slidably engage: in an associated aperture, and a plurality' of resilient elements, each coupled between said endplate: and a difierent one of said stop elements, respectively:

4. Ina printing telegraph receiving device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said means for sensing the movement of said stop. elements comprises a seeker arm coupled for rotation with said type carrier, said arm adapted to abut. against the end portion of an actuated stop element.

5. In a printing telegraph receiving device as claimed in. claim 2, further comprising means for returning anactuated stop. element to its normal position after completion of a. printing function, said means comprising a. disc mounted co-axially with said selecting rings intermediate the first of said rings and the small legs of the J-shaped members, said disc adapted to be moved in a direction parallel to the axes of said rings and opposite to the: direction in which said stop elements are actuated.

6. In a' printing telegraph receiving device as claimed in claim 3, further comprising a rotatable blocking ring mounted co-axially with said selecting rings and positionedf intermediate said endplate and the last one of said selecting rings, said blocking ring having a plurality of spaced notches radially cut into the periphery thereof, one. notch for each of said stop elements, and means for rotating said blocking ring a predetermined angular distance after actuation of a selected stop element, to block actuation of unselected stop elements.

7. In a; printing telegraph receiving device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a spring urged pawl associated in common, with each of said selecting rings, said pawl adapted to maintain said rings in any of a predetermined number. of angular positions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Kleinschmidt Dec. 1'1, 1956. 

